The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-03-12
The Gastren0mic Value OF Oiors,

The magic and value of gastronomiG
odOrs lies in this, that they stimulate
the flow of saliva and other alimentary
juices, thus making sure that the food
eaten will be thoroughly utilized in
renovating the system. This stimu-
lating effect of gastronomic odors also
explains the French saving that the
appetite comes while eating, as we'll as
our habit OF reservlng sweetmeats,
nuts, cheese, etc, for the end of
meal, when rich odors are needed to
brace up the tagging appetite. SO
great and salubrious is the effect of
gastronomc odors in stimulating all the
glands and functions of the body that
dinner OF sayory, fragrant courses
may produce in the diner feeling OF
warmth and exhilaration resembling
the effects OF wine, but with none OF
the depressing after effects following
excessive indulgence III that liquor.
And thus 1t comes about that the cpl
cure in search of "ignoble pleasure"
finds it the source of health and of
general contentment with the world.
A few widely prevalent erroneous
notions concerning eplcures must be
corrected III this place. One is that
they incline to gluttony and intemper-
ance. But true epicure would no
more dream of taking away tie sharp
edge Of future appetite by overindUlg-
ence than q barber would of opening a
tin can with razor. lie weighs his
pleasures aud pains too nicely to iIe
caught in such vices. Another IL that
an eplcure always needs the choicest
delicacies 20 stimulate his appetite.
On the contrary, the art OF epicurism
consists i'll the ability to get pleasure
out of the most commonplace articles
of food, by preparing and eating them
properly. OF course, the epicure pre-
fers Chamberlin to Macon, and canvas
back duck to roast goose, for the same
reason thaI he prefers a wood violet to
that Of coarse hot-house flower; but,
on the other hand, he alone knows what
an Oriental rose garden of magic per-
fumes may be found in the simplest
crust of wholemeal or Graham bread
and butter; though ordinary mortals
may easily convince themselves of
their existence by eating slice and
allowing the exhalad air to pass slowly
through the nose.
From an olfactory point of view, it
seems, agreeable ailments may be d.
vlded into two classes-those which are
more fragrant externally and those
which develop superior odors after they
are crushed by the teeth or tongue
Strawberries, apples, and peaches have
more refi1ed and fower-like fragrance
before they are put in the mouth than
after. CheeSes, on the other hand, are
not generally regarded as fragrant until
they are eaten. The odor of Limburg
er is insupooItable to many, who, after
they have once courageously smuggled
1t past the nasal fortress, find it very
appetizing and good. But the most
| curious illustration between eXoteric
and esoterir odors, so to speak, is the
tropical fruit called the durion. Exter-
nally it resembles Limburger, in hav
ing an intensely disagreeable odor, but
during masdcation it yields watts of
flavor that call to mind cream cheese,
| onion sauce, brown sherry, and other
| incongruities, according to Mr.. A. L.
Wallace, wao adds that "the more you
eat of 1t the less you feel inclined to
stop; IN fact, to eat durion is rare
sensation, and is worth a voyage to the
East to experience" The disagreeabls
| external odor is in this case evidently
neutralized by the fragrance that is set
free as the fruit is crushed in the
mouth.-Centempofary ReUielc.